The Captured and the Soldier
by Sailorpipn
Summary: Hikaru has been sold to the coliseum but before his time in the ring he meets a curly haired soldier. AU: Ancient Civilization - boy kissing and character death


Chulu Bingo – Alternate Universe: Historical: Ancient Civilization

**PG-13** - for boy kissing and non-graphic character death

Warnings: same as the rating

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or it characters. This is a work of fiction, and I make no profit from it.

I don't have a Beta so all errors are mine.

So I had an idea about the Coliseum in Rome but I know little to nothing about the time period. I did a minimal amount of research but I figure it is ok because I wasn't going into major detail about anything. So unless I made some major error that totally just kills the entire story, just try to enjoy it for what it is.

Summary: Hikaru has been sold to the coliseum but before his time in the ring he meets a curly haired soldier.

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Hikaru was scared, petrified to be more precise. The coliseum walls spanned high overhead, the tips touching the clouds. Hikaru had never felt so small. He could hear the crowds cheering for blood from the current 'entertainment'. In a superficial sense, he had known the man who was now probably nothing more than lion food. They had been chained together in the days preceding the stone prison. Aware that it was futile, that he should conserve his strength, Hikaru tugged at the shackles that kept him firmly tied to the ground.

Even if he somehow managed to survive the day, week, year, even if he survived long enough to gain his freedom and grow old and gray, he would never forgive his father for giving him to hell. His father was a traveling merchant, selling silk and spices to the Romans, who, because he had older sons, sons who would inherit the family business, had no problem selling his son to die. His skin and eyes made him exotic to the crowds who most probably had never seen anyone like him. His death, quick or slow, would bring in a hefty profit.

To his left, Hikaru heard a growl and saw some of the workers nervously herding a lion into its cage. The lion had blood around its jaws and Hikaru licked his own lips in trepidation. Where there was one fed lion, there were also a half dozen eager for their chance to hunt. The men who had finally managed to corral the lion headed in his direction. With his heart beating out of his chest, Hikaru tried to ready himself to run. Once they unhooked him, he would have just a second to flee before his chance in the arena. He took in a large breath of air, forcing his lungs to fill to capacity and then he let it all out in a rush as his captors walked right past him, not even glancing in his direction. Slowly Hikaru's heart calmed down, adrenaline seeping out of his body like thick soy sauce. He been so sure it was his day to die, but apparently fate had put it off for another time.

Standing near the lions' cages, Hikaru noticed a soldier. He was tall and lean and had curly blond hair. Hikaru would not have recognized him as a solider if not for the cloak that he wore over his tunic. He had seen this man before, had traveled with him on his way to the city. They had never communicated in the week they had spent together, not just because the purchased were beaten for uttering a sound, but also because Hikaru knew almost none of his language. He hadn't been gifted with a golden tongue and a man who couldn't haggle with customers couldn't be a merchant. It also meant that he couldn't plea for his life, not that it would make much difference.

Apparently losing interest in the kept animal, the soldier turned in Hikaru's direction. His face was emotionless, as though nothing around him was worth his time or attention; that is until his eyes settled on Hikaru. Then, oddly, they seemed to gain a warmth, that the captured man couldn't place. Languidly the soldier walked to him and touched Hikaru's face. He tried to jerk away but the fingers under his chin held his head firmly in place. Then before Hikaru could even comprehend the other man's intentions, foreign lips were pressed against his. Hikaru made the mistake of gasping against the other man and suddenly he found his mouth held two tongues. The soldier's lips were warm and tender against his own dry, chapped ones. Absently, Hikaru mused about the stories he'd heard about Romans, how they loved just about anything that moved and almost nothing was looked down upon.

A laugh from behind them had the soldier breaking away just as Hikaru was melting into the touch. The soldier's face went back to being stone as he waved at whoever had laughed. He said something that Hikaru couldn't even begin to translate and walked away, leaving Hikaru stunned by the bizarre turn of events. Had that really just happened?

The next few days were a constant turmoil for Hikaru. Even time guards even looked at him, he would tense up and attempt to prepare for the inevitable. At the same time though, he was on a constant lookout for the man who had stolen his breath and hope. If he could perhaps seduce the soldier, he pondered, maybe he would have a chance at surviving. But the curly haired man never made an appearance.

Crowds didn't swarm the coliseum every day and it was nearly another week into his captivity before cheering alerted him to the day's events. An increasing ruckus woke Hikaru from his light slumber. He was almost proud at his ability to adapt and become 'comfortable' sleeping on the ground and he managed an interesting sleep pattern. He tried to sleep after meals because he felt logically that the guards wouldn't waste resources feeding him just to into the lion's den afterward. The lions in their cages, started to roar, the loud patrons making them excited.

Still not completely away, Hikaru abruptly found himself pulled to his feet. A calloused hand gripped him arm and Hikaru found himself oddly amused that his arm wouldn't have a chance to bruise before being killed. He watched a guard unhook his shackles and for the first time in what seemed to be forever, Hikaru could move his body freely. He turned to see who was holding his arm and even though he had prayed for the soldier, he was still shocked to see him. Maybe his prayers were coming true. The soldier barked an order to the guard and the man quickly ran off, obviously fearful of the curly haired man.

He had been tied down for too long and Hikaru's legs felt like jelly as he was pulled to whatever destination the soldier had in mind. Shoved behind a pillar, somewhat away from prying eyes, Hikaru found himself pressed against the stone walls, jagged edges pressing uncomfortably into his back. Then before he could take a breath, the soldier's lips were on his. Hikaru didn't know what to do and slowly he lifted his arms to grasp the other man's tunic. This time he didn't hesitate to open his mouth, welcoming the other tongue with his own.

Hikaru kissed the soldier as long as he could, until his lungs burned with their need for air. He didn't want to but he tentatively pulled away from the other man. Even though he was nervous of what the soldier's reaction might be, Hikaru looked him square in the eye. 'He has beautiful eyes,' Hikaru thought to himself. They stared at each other for several seconds before the other man broke the moment by laughing. Hikaru's noticed his hands were still gripping the other man's tunic and he forced himself to let go. The soldier stepped out of his reach, shaking his head in mirth.

Suddenly guards surrounded the two men and Hikaru found himself pulled towards the arena entrance. Craning his neck, he tried to keep his eyes on the soldier but the other man didn't offer him a glance. He was pushed further into the area and then a gate crashed down, effectively cutting Hikaru off from the guards, cutting him off from freedom. Through one of the holes in the barrier, someone shoved a spear and Hikaru grasped it numbly. Slowly he walked to the center of the arena.

At his arrival to the arena the crowds' cheering increased tenfold. Hikaru was tempted to cover his ears; nervous they would bleed from the noise. From the other end of the arena, even over the din, he heard a roar and felt his heart fall completely out of his chest. He could still feel the soldier's kiss on his lip, the burn, where his arm had been gripped, and now he was going to die. The ferocious creature stalked towards him. Hikaru wanted to run. He wanted to climbs the walls, anything to get away. He looked at the spear in his hand but knew there was nothing he could do.

Mustering up all of his courage, Hikaru threw the spear away. He wouldn't give the crowd the entertainment they craved. The lion stalked closer and Hikaru forced himself not to move. Dimly aware, he could hear moans of disappointment from the audience.

Then he closed his eyes tightly, pictured the bastard soldier in his mind's eye, and waited.

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Comments are love :)


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